Barrie, Ont.’s Jadyn Keeler was crowned the women’s Canadian half-marathon champion at the Servus Edmonton Marathon on Sunday, and next is the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen on Sept. 20. Keeler was on pace to challenge the Canadian women’s half-marathon record in Edmonton, but a course-measuring error meant the athletes ran an additional 700 metres. She finished in 1:12:11, leaving many to wonder: what if? However, the error didn’t bother the young star; she’s just getting started and has already indicated that the national record is in her sights.
A meteoric rise
Keeler was a steady force in NCAA 5,000m and 10,000m races leading up to spring graduation, which led to a professional contract with Adidas and, later, to her win at the Canadian Half Marathon Championships.
With Keeler, 23, also making her professional road debut at the race, many were eager to see how she would fare, especially in such a stacked field that included defending champion Natasha Wodak. To put it briefly, Keeler impressed, running a commanding race to claim her first senior title. While a win from the young star may not have been expected by fans, Keeler certainly knew she had the ability to make it happen.
“I did expect to run that fast; I’ve had a really good training block, and I was crushing some workouts,” Keeler told Canadian Running. “I didn’t want to put too much pressure on the race with it being my debut, but I did kind of target that sub-70 range the whole run.”
Jadyn Keeler Adidas signing. Photo courtesy of Jadyn Keeler
That’s a range Keeler was on pace to run, and one she has a great chance of reaching if the conditions are right and the course is accurately measured. The error may have been a surprising challenge to encounter in her debut, but it did not bother Keeler very much, and she knows she’s got much more left in the tank.
“It was a little disappointing coming down Jasper Avenue and realizing the course was definitely long, and I wasn’t going to be able to get any record or time goal I had in mind,” Keeler said. “Nonetheless, it was great to walk away with the title, and everything else about the event was amazing; the elite staff and volunteers were all amazing, and it was a great way to debut.”
A national record in sight
It is not a stretch to say Keeler may take down the national record of 1:09:38 set by Andrea Seccafien in 2020, at September’s world championships. Although the mark is on her mind, Keeler is taking a measured approach to the possibility of a record-breaking performance. She’s settling into her new apartment in Flagstaff, Ariz., training with her new team (Golden Peaks Track Club) and creating a game plan for Copenhagen.
“I’ve started training with the club and have been really enjoying the past few days of the nice Arizona weather,” Keeler said. “We’ve got a month until world champs, so we will stay focused on learning from the past race, making some tweaks and staying healthy so I can run fast in Copenhagen.”
Keeler is no stranger to Canadian records or strong debuts. She owns the U23 Canadian 5,000m record of 15:14.76, which also ranks No. 4 on the Canadian all-time list. She also holds the U23 record in the 10,000m, running 32:06.70 in her debut at the distance and following that up with a 31:56.03 PB in the event in April, a No. 7 all-time Canadian finish.
Barrie, Ont.’s Jadyn Keeler, representing the University of North Dakota. Photo: Courtesy of Ciaran Callaghan
Keeler may have kept the sub-70 goal close to her chest heading into the debut race, but she is going into Copenhagen confident and ready to make the bold attempt at her first senior Canadian record.
“I would love to target that record, and it was something I was potentially close to doing in Edmonton,” Keeler said. “With a couple extra weeks of training under my belt and now having run a half as well, hopefully my body will adapt and will be even more prepared and ready to chase down that time.”